Shot in the arm for Lalit Modi

New Delhi: Brushing aside BCCI’s plea, the Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the decks for declaration of the Rajasthan Cricket Association poll results on May 6, involving former IPL chief Lalit Modi.

The apex court also declined to restrain Modi from assuming charge in the event of his winning the elections.

Modi is strongly tipped to become the RCA president, which is being resisted by the BCCI, which had earlier suspended him for alleged misappropriation of funds. The BCCI’s contention is that Modi is not eligible to contest the elections as he continues to be under suspension and the rules expressly bars a suspended member from contesting any elections.

Elections to the RCA were held on December 19, last year, in the backdrop of allegations relating to fudging of voters, which had earlier compelled the apex court to direct supervision of the polls under former Supreme Court judge Justice NM Kasilwal.

On Wednesday, a bench of Justices A R Dave and Shiva Kirti Singh directed the Supreme Court registry to send back the results contained in a sealed cover to Justice Kasliwal, who was asked to release the same on May 6.

Justice Dave heading the bench also gave liberty to the BCCI or any other aggrieved person to challenge the outcome of the elections before the appropriate authority.

The court brushed aside BCCI’s senior counsel CA Sundaram’s submission that declaration “could jeopardise the future of two players in the national team hailing from Rajasthan.”